Drooping belly

**Kirsten** · 10-20-2001, 02:31 PM

My Luna (indoor cat) is 18 months now, I got her spayed in September 2000 and soon after the surgery her belly started drooping. But she was still growing and played a lot with her little kitty friend (we visited her at least once a week) so Luna stayed in shape.

Then, after two weeks of illness in January, Luna started to become lazy. Her kitty friend was killed by a car

, so she has nobody anymore to play with. Now Luna id bored and doesn't like to play anymore and she's not exercising much. That way she gained a lot of weight (4,5 - 5 kg) and now she's on a diet. But I'm getting the impression that her belly is drooping more and more!

It doesn't look good and it's definitely not healthy!

I've got a lot of interactive toys but she's not playing much! I think she's missing her friend and I would get her a second kitty as a playmate but I have to move first because my appartment isn't very big. And right now I don't have the money to move. I hope I'll be able next year! I really think getting another kitty would cheer Luna up!
But right now I'm really upset about the situation. I always wanted the best for Luna, and now she has got this drooping belly... Has anyone experiences with this? Is there a chance it disappears again once a cat developed it?

Sorry, I know this is long,

Kirsten

**Edwina's Secretary** · 10-22-2001, 11:00 AM

Edwina's belly droops so it flops from side to side when she walks fast. She is rather sensitve about it and doesn't like to be laughed at or have it fondled.

According to my brother and his wife who are vets it is normal for a neutered spoiled housecat and perhaps she could lose a little weight (gasp!)

**purrley** · 10-22-2001, 11:06 AM

Spencer (my chocolate point male Siamese) has a really droopy belly - lots of fur and skin droops and swings from side to side when he walks - he's always had it. However, by other Siamese (Frisco) is toned and muscular - I don't know what causes it but I don't think its any reason to be concerned.

**Kirsten** · 10-22-2001, 01:24 PM

Thanks for your encouraging words!

Well, seems like it sometimes just happens, especially when a cat is spayed...
Well, Luna is on a diet now, and I bought one of these flashlights for cats, you know, where they can hunt the spot of light, Luna loves it and she's running a bit more that way. But she isn't allowed to eat her beloved Sheba anymore, the vet said it contains too much fat. Poor Luna!
But I think it won't be bad when she's losing some weight. It's bothering her and it's not very healthy.

Kirsten

**tuxluvr** · 10-22-2001, 02:06 PM

Hmmm..perhaps there will be a market for an "ab-doer" for kitties? Ritz has what I affectionately refer to as "hangy down parts" - she did get a little pudgy the months immediately following the spay surgery - she is about 18 months, too, we changed her eating schedule and make a point to play with her to exercise daily.

I've always heard that cats don't, as a rule, overeat. However, we had always kept Ritz's food bowl full at all times and found that she would "clean her plate" regardless of how full and how often filled.

So, new strategy, we put one small scoop (aout 2/3 cup)in the dish in the morning and another the same in the evening. No new food is added until the dish is empty. IN fact, she seems to know this, when I get the Iams bag out, she licks all of the kibble crumbs out of the bowl before I can put more in.

There was no ugly transition, she didn't seem to realize the difference, but within weeks her weight was back into a manageable range. She is still perhaps a little "pudgy" but the vet says well within normal indoor kitty range

**alice** · 10-22-2001, 03:35 PM

While a droopy belly might not be a sign of beauty in a human, we could certainly consider it one in a cat. I often notice a little droop on some of the big jungle cats shown on nature programs on TV. Luna is completely beautiful -- droopy belly, or not!

**catwoman** · 10-22-2001, 04:21 PM

Weezie has a droopy belly, too. She tore out some of her stitches a few days early, and I think this could be part the reason. Did Luna tear out her stitches?

I agree with the others. I think this is pretty normal for spayed kitties.

I hope Luna perks up soon ... have you tried the little balls that you can put treats inside? They always gets a rise out of my lazy Weezie.

Dianne

**zippy-kat** · 10-22-2001, 06:36 PM

I was always told that it just happens as a cat ages. All of ours have had it, and our great technical name for it is, "Hangy down fat!" lol

**Uniqueviking** · 10-23-2001, 03:25 AM

Don't worry too much about Luna Tuna's dropping belly, Kirsten.

Hope this can be of some sort of comfort

Beans looks like a stranded seal now, lmao (but she is of course still my Egyptian princess)

**Kirsten** · 10-24-2001, 02:19 PM

Alice, you're right, she's still a beauty - and has a very sweet personality, and that's all that counts!

Catwoman, no she hasn't torn out her stiches, but it started after her surgery though.
And yes, she has such a ball but she is rolling it only as much as necessary to make the treats fall out! LOL But she's running a lot when I use this kitty flashlight, she loves it!

LOL, zippy-kat! "Hangy down fat!", that's great!

LOL, Viking, you're kind of right about the stranded seal, but she's CUTE!

Kirsten

**gini** · 10-24-2001, 10:43 PM

Rascal (orange tabby) was all muscle and taut until I had him altered. Right after that I shortly noticed his fat bags when he ran. Yes, it is funny and it wobbles back and forth.

He is pretty sensitive about it too.... doesn't like me to rub his belly that low.

The vet said it was FAT! Right in front of him - gosh he was embarrassed. So we have him on a Science Diet W/D formula and he is trimming down some.

**Ila** · 10-25-2001, 07:46 AM

We have had several cats & it is nothing uncommon for a cat to having a saggy belly. Cats are like humans not all have perfect bodies but they need love to. My Misty has a little saggy stomach and it don't stop her from being cute as can be. She is healthy. So don't worry.

**4 feline house** · 10-25-2001, 09:34 PM

My former neighbor and I were discussing tummy sacks once (total cats between us at the time - 11) and decided they must be hereditary. Many of her cats and one of mine were all related, and they all had tummy sacks, from the time they were kittens, the males and the females. My kitties now are pretty tubby, but none of them have pronounced tummy sacks. Have y'all seen the cat food commercial with the gray kitty with his swinging tummy sack, with the Carole King song "I Feel the Earth Move Under my Feet" playing?